Friday, 16 May 2014

NEW DELHI: India is set to record highest ever foodgrain production. The government on Friday revised its estimate, saying the country would collectively produce 264.28 million tonnes (MT) of foodgrain as compared to 257.13 million tones last year.

Releasing its third estimates of crop production, the agriculture ministry said the country was expected to set the records for both rice and wheat.

"Rice production is expected at record 106.29MT and wheat production is expected to reach 95.85MT, again a record," said the ministry.

The revised production took into account kharif crops of the year 2013 and rabi crops of the year 2013-14. Good monsoon last year had helped the country in achieving this feat.

In the earlier estimates (2nd Advance Estimates) released in February, the total foodgrain production was pegged at 263.2 million tonne.

"Record production has also been achieved in the case of tur (3.38 MT), gram (9.93 MT), maize (24.19 MT), all pulses put together (19.57 MT), cotton (36.50 million bales) and jute (10.82 million bales)," said the ministry.